BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 27: Starting pitcher Trey Gibson #43 of the Baltimore Orioles works the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 27, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Orioles can’t linger long on their disappointing loss to the Blue Jays yesterday, as they’re back in Baltimore and back in action this evening to open a four-game set against the Mariners. The M’s, who lead the AL West with a 34-32 record, represent the Orioles’ toughest opponent since they faced the Rays at Camden Yards two weeks ago. That series turned out excellently for the Birds, so maybe this one will do the same.
The O’s pulled the old starting pitcher switcheroo this afternoon. Chris Bassitt, who left his previous outing with lower back tightness, was thought to be recovering quickly enough to start tonight, but apparently not. The O’s placed Bassitt on the 15-day IL today and called up Trey Gibson to take the ball. This will be Gibson’s fourth major league appearance and third start. In his last one, May 27 against the Rays, he gave up six hits and four walks but danced out of trouble at every turn, limiting the damage to one run and earning his first MLB win.
Meanwhile, the Orioles’ offense faces a tough customer in M’s righty Emerson Hancock and his 2.80 ERA. You might notice that the O’s lineup looks a little bit different. Neither Adley Rutschman nor Samuel Basallo (who left Sunday’s game with a wrist injury) are in the lineup, as Sam Huff starts at catcher for the O’s for the first time since April 19. Gunnar Henderson, who committed a crucial error and was prominently involved in the non-double-play no-call against the Jays, will get a break from the field as the DH, with Blaze Alexander replacing him.
The red-hot Colton Cowser will be batting cleanup for the first time this year. Interestingly, he’ll also be starting in center and Leody Taveras in right instead of the other way around. I think Taveras has more range than Cowser but has had trouble fielding fly balls near the wall, so maybe the Orioles are hoping this will provide a marginal defensive upgrade. Let’s see how it plays out.
Orioles lineup:
LF Taylor Ward DH Gunnar Henderson 1B Pete Alonso CF Colton Cowser RF Leody Taveras 2B Jackson Holliday 3B Coby Mayo SS Blaze Alexander C Sam Huff
RHP Trey Gibson
Mariners lineup:
2B Cole Young CF Julio Rodríguez 1B Josh Naylor LF Randy Arozarena RF Luke Raley DH Dominic Canzone 3B Patrick Wisdom SS Colt Emerson C Jhonny Pereda
May 20, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Connelly Early (71) pitches during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Blech. Yesterday’s bullpen blowup was so bad, the Red Sox traveled to visit first-place Tampa Bay, against whom they probably won’t have a lead to squander. That’s some chess strategy right there. Speaking of which, as a guy who plays a lot of online chess, I hate the “4D chess” analogy. It’s plenty hard enough as it is! Stop using it!
Connelly Early gets the start, which is neat, at least:
He’ll face Ian Seymour as an opener. Here’s the full Rays slate:
I don’t feel great about this one, folks, but maybe Early can keep it from getting late out there? At least they’ll be playing inside the ugliest stadium in the sport. That ought to ease the pain, amirite?
This report comes after Babcock messaged Dreger on May 20 about potentially coaching again in the NHL, and he said, "Dregs, I'm retired. Loving it."
However, contrary to what he told Dreger, it seems that Babcock is open to joining the fifth team of his NHL coaching career.
There is some controversy attached to Babcock in a couple of different situations from his past.
Babcock coached the Maple Leafs for five years from 2015-16 to 2019-20. After his tenure in Toronto, there were reports that he asked Mitch Marner, a rookie at the time, to provide a list of players ranked from hardest-working to least hardest-working. With that list, Babcock then shared the results with the rest of the team, putting Marner in an awkward and embarrassing spot.
In his last stint in the NHL, with the Columbus Blue Jackets, he didn't get to coach his team for one game. He was hired on July 1, 2023, but resigned two months later on Sept. 17 after allegations of him invading the privacy of his players.
Nonetheless, the Oilers are doing their due diligence and consulted with the NHLPA regarding any objections from the committee to potentially naming him as head coach.
Furthermore, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, Babcock has spoken directly to the Oilers' owner, Daryl Katz. And while the final decision is up to Katz, because of Babcock's history, Edmonton's players would need to be on board.
Well, it turns out that Babcock also met with several members of the team's leadership group, per Friedman's sources, and that apparently "was enough to eliminate any potential objection."
With these reports, TSN's Pierre LeBrun on Monday noted that Babcock could be joined by D.J. Smith, who is another former member of the Maple Leafs coaching staff. Babcock and Smith stood behind the bench together in Toronto for four years.
With the Maple Leafs, Babcock led Toronto to three third-place finishes in the Atlantic Division, falling in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs in each of those campaigns.
In total, Babcock coached the Leafs for 351 regular-season games, earning a 173-133-45 record, as well as 20 playoff games and an 8-12 post-season record.
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Monday was the dawn of a new era for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Out is Daryl Morey, who served as the franchise’s president of basketball operations for six seasons. In is Mike Gansey, who previously served as the general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Gansey spoke to reporters for the first time at the team’s practice facility in Camden. He didn’t divulge much (who needs a “we sold high” type of quote on their first day?), but made it clear he wants to build around the team’s Big 4 while fostering a positive culture from the front office on down.
After Gansey’s introductory presser, Bob Myers and the newly-promoted Jameer Nelson spoke as well. Here are five takeaways from the day.
Building around the Big 4
Again, there wasn’t a ton of clarity as far as the direction Gansey wants to go, but there were plenty of questions surrounding Joel Embiid and the team’s ability to be a contender with three max contracts.
The main goal is obvious — though it’s easier said than done.
“I’ve had a lot of good conversations with him so far,” Gansey said of the former MVP. “Excited to meet with him this week. … With him and the roster we have, that’s who we have. We got to get those guys on the floor, we got to create an identity and just get them to play basketball.”
Gansey pointed to the fact that the Sixers were 24-14 with Embiid on the floor and to the upset of the Boston Celtics in the first round of the postseason. He didn’t sugarcoat things (more on that in a bit) or attempt to gaslight the fan base. The reality is there’s little other recourse. Embiid is owed a lot of money over the next three seasons and Paul George over the next two.
It makes sense to not obsess over the dual timeline situation and just build the best team possible with the resources at hand.
“I don’t look at it as a timeline,” Gansey said, “I just look at like we have those four and we got to maximize those four. Obviously, VJ [Edgecombe] and Tyrese [Maxey] are younger, but Paul and Joel can still play at a high level. … We gotta rely on those four, and obviously keep them on the floor, and then just build around them.”
Building the culture
Morey has long been known as one of the smartest minds in basketball. It’s an earned reputation.
With that said, the biggest criticism of Morey is how cold and calculated he could be. The Jared McCain trade — which did not go over well in the Sixers’ locker room — is a decent example. You could understand some of the basketball reasons for the decision, but, ultimately, it might’ve been a bit shortsighted.
Gansey seems like he’s viewed as an antidote to the disconnect between the front office and the players — and really everyone else in the organization.
“My philosophy is simple: build a culture rooted in character, work ethic, competitiveness, accountability and teamwork,” Gansey said in his opening statement. “Our fans deserve a team that they can be proud of. There will be alignment throughout the entire organization with a relentless focus on putting our players and staff in the best position to succeed.”
The word “alignment” came up an awful lot. With the turmoil surrounding the Sixers for the last decade or so, it’s fair to wonder how much “alignment” there’s been.
Gansey seems intent on changing the culture here. He talked about wanting to be “attached at the hip” to head coach Nick Nurse and speaking with all of the players about what this team needs. Will it lead to more wins? Who knows? But the organization clearly needs to try something different.
“I want guys that want to be in Philly, first and foremost,” he said. “Obviously, guys that can fit around our players that we have currently under contract, and I want fountains, not drains. I want guys with high character, guys with high work ethics, and guys that want to be in Philadelphia.”
Building an identity
But it wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies.
The reality is the Sixers are in one of the weirdest spots in the league. They had what could be considered a decent season, upsetting the second-seeded Celtics in the first round. They were also handily swept in the second round by the New York Knicks, who currently hold a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals. It’s clear the gap between the Sixers and Knicks is massive.
Gansey is now charged with bridging that gap.
“They got swept in the second round, so it’s not a championship-caliber team right now,” Gansey said, “but we’re going to work on that. Getting the Big 4 together on the floor, but we’re going to do everything we can to bring players in here that fit, and that obviously can help. … We got a great staff here, and we’re going to do everything we can to get the best players in here to help us get to the mountaintop.”
“Identity” was another buzzword used by all of Gansey, Myers and Nelson. With all the uncertainty surrounding the statuses of Embiid and George, it was nearly impossible for the 2025-26 team to create one. They were essentially middle-of-the-pack by most statistical measures.
There wasn’t any one thing they could hang their hat on.
“We gotta find an identity. We just don’t have one,” Myers said. “I mean, that’s maybe a harsh thing to say, but look at the numbers. I mean, we were not elite offensively or defensively, and … if you’re gonna win at the highest level, you gotta be great at something. We have the capabilities, I think, and we have the players and some of the talent, but in order to see what we are, we’ve got to be on the floor.”
The front office triumvirate
For those unfamiliar, Gansey was a very good college basketball player at Saint Bonaventure before transferring to West Virginia. He then spent a few years bouncing around playing in the G League, overseas and getting NBA summer league invites.
Myers, who stands at 6-foot-7, had a decent college career at UCLA, helping the Bruins reach the Elite Eight in 1996-97.
And we’re all familiar with Nelson’s playing career.
It’s an interesting dynamic. The franchise has gone from more analytics-driven executives like Sam Hinkie and Morey to people who played the game at a high level. That doesn’t mean analytics won’t be involved in the decision-making (they will) or that it will lead to success.
But it does change things for an organization in desperate need of a shake-up.
“I think it’s helped me a lot throughout my career,” Gansey said, “just because I’ve been in the locker room, I’ve been in wars, I played with some of the guys who are still playing in this league a little bit in college, so I think my understanding of maybe what they’re going through day to day. They’re going through training camp, or they’re exhausted, or the travel, or their confidence is low, like I can kind of relate to them a little bit, and say, ‘hey, I didn’t play at the highest level, but I played at a pretty good level,’ where they can come to me and ask me questions, and I can relate to them a little bit more than maybe someone that didn’t play.”
What’s next?
The first round of the 2026 NBA Draft will take place on June 23. The Sixers will have the 22nd overall selection — a pick they received in the McCain trade that originally belonged to the Houston Rockets.
For so many reasons, it’s crucial for the Sixers to nail this pick. Right after that will be free agency.
“I think with where we’re at now … we have pick 22 in the draft, we got to hit on that,” Gansey said. “We got to get a good player there. Just building depth. We got to get guys in here in free agency that we like, we got to get minimum guys, and then the big part is just internal development with Tyrese, VJ, and some of our other young guys, they got to get better too. I think it’s internal growth, 22 and then free agency, and trying to add as much depth as we can to this roster.”
The good news for the Sixers is Gansey has already been doing draft prep for the Cavaliers, who hold the 29th overall pick. If there’s one area where you can see Gansey’s fingerprints with Cleveland, it’s the draft.
“I ran the draft in Cleveland, so I was really big on the player personnel and the valuation, but I’m a connector. I build relationships with everyone in the building, all the way from our star player to the janitor.”
The Phillies kept their foot on the gas north of the border.
And by doing so, they gave Cristopher Sánchez run support, which in 2026 almost feels unfair.
Philadelphia faced longtime NL East foe Patrick Corbin, a lefty the Phillies have historically handled well. The 36-year-old made his 12th start of the season for a Blue Jays rotation decimated by injuries.
Toronto has leaned heavily on Corbin, who signed on April 4, a week into the season, made his first start on April 10 and has not missed a turn since.
That reliance caught up to the soft-tossing lefty Monday in Philadelphia’s 5-2 victory at Rogers Centre.
The Phillies ran Corbin after just three-plus innings. They grinded at-bats again and again, pushing his pitch count to 79.
That has become a common theme during the Phillies’ recent surge.
After lulling the Phils to sleep with his low-80s slider through the first five batters, Corbin ran into Bryson Stott. In a left-on-left matchup, Stott worked a long plate appearance while Corbin kept pitching him to the outer half.
Stott fouled off five of the eight pitches.
After Corbin delivered a slider and sinker below the zone, he went back to the same spot with a cutter. Stott flicked it to right-center field for a two-out double.
His aggressiveness on pitches out of the zone has shot up this year. Lately, it has worked for him.
Adolis García came up next, got ahead 2-1 and saw Corbin float a slider middle-low. García got his arms extended, stayed back on the 78.2 mph breaking ball and drove it 104.8 mph off the bat.
The ball traveled 406 feet into the left-center field seats for his third homer in his last five games.
“Adolis is getting us going,” Don Mattingly said. “Stott gets the hit there with two outs, just to keep that inning alive, and then Adolis gets a pitch. He’s been working hard. It’s good to see it when a guy works and has struggled and is coming out of that.”
Even through the Phillies’ offensive struggles, they have been one of the best two-out offenses in baseball. Entering Monday, they had the fourth-highest OPS in those spots.
They had more answers in the third.
Another part of their offensive surge has been the ability to string baserunners together. Corbin lost the zone against Trea Turner and Bryce Harper, walking both with one out. He then drilled Brandon Marsh.
With the bases loaded, Alec Bohm laced a 2-2 pitch for an RBI single. J.T. Realmuto ambushed a first-pitch sinker for another run-scoring single. Then Corbin lost the zone again, walking Stott with the bases loaded.
The Phillies made Corbin throw strikes. When he did not, they took the free bases. When he did, they made him pay.
“We did a nice job right there,” Mattingly said. “Scoring some early there with Sánchez, it’s obviously a good feeling with him.”
Before the Phillies’ matchup with White Sox lefty Anthony Kay, opposing left-handed starters, excluding openers, had produced a 2.04 ERA against them with a .566 opponents OPS.
In their last two games against lefties, the Phillies have scored 11 runs in seven innings and posted a 1.149 OPS.
Their right-handed bats have gotten going against southpaws. That is a key piece if the club is going to maintain the success that has driven its turnaround.
After scoring five runs in the first three innings, the Phillies could not muster much against Toronto’s bullpen.
So they turned to Sánchez.
For a pitcher who had just gone 50 2/3 innings without allowing a run, this was not his best outing from a stuff standpoint.
He allowed a leadoff double in the first, which later came around to score. He allowed a solo homer to Blue Jays infielder Ernie Clement in the fifth. Then he allowed another leadoff double in the sixth.
But the way Sánchez responded to trouble made this edition of his season impressive.
In the sixth, after the double, he struck out the side.
George Springer swinging.
Nathan Lukes swinging.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. looking.
Runner left on third.
Sánchez walked off the mound screaming in excitement.
“Not only because it was Vladdy, but it was more about having a runner, nobody out, and then striking out the side,” Sánchez said.
He came back out for the seventh, and Toronto put together another threat. The Blue Jays brought the tying run to the plate with two outs.
At 101 pitches, Sánchez wanted one more batter.
He made that clear to Mattingly.
“I don’t like leaving guys on base,” Sánchez said. “That’s one of the main reasons. And I felt great today, even though I had close to 100 pitches.”
Mattingly stayed in the dugout.
“It was almost a visit and see where he’s at,” Mattingly said. “But he made that easy. He wanted one more, so always go with him.”
Sánchez went right after pinch-hitting catcher Brandon Valenzuela and got a groundout to end the inning.
A gutsy seven innings.
Two runs. One walk. Ten strikeouts. 107 pitches.
His sinker was hit hard, but he leaned on his slider and changeup for big outs. Both pitches generated whiff rates above 40 percent.
Over Sánchez’s last seven starts, he has walked just five of the 195 batters he has faced.
Tremendous.
Even after allowing two runs in seven innings, Sánchez’s ERA still sits at 1.54.
The Phils got into trouble with Brad Keller in the eighth, but held on behind Jhoan Duran’s 16th save in 16 opportunities this season.
They keep finding new ways to win, and they are now sitting comfortably in the National League Wild Card picture.
SAN FRANCISCO — The Washington Nationals are the highest-scoring team in baseball. The Giants have that honor over the past month, and they just came off a trip in which they averaged nearly seven runs per game.
Naturally, the first game of their series at Oracle Park was a pitcher’s duel most of the night, but things got wild in the late innings.
The Giants took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the eighth, but the Nationals countered with three in the top of the ninth. Jung Hoo Lee’s fourth hit of the night got the tying run to third in the bottom of the inning, but Bryce Eldridge struck out. The 4-3 loss was a gut punch, and came on a night when the Giants seemed poised to win for the fifth time in six games.
The offenses combined for just two runs through the first seven innings, but the Giants broke through in the bottom of the eighth with a rally that started with Lee’s third hit of the night. After an error got him to second, Lee scored the go-ahead run on an opposite-field double from Eldridge. They tacked on an insurance run with a squeeze bunt from rookie Jonah Cox, but they needed more.
Manager Tony Vitello turned to Keaton Winn for a third straight day, and he might have run out of gas. A double, hit-by-pitch and passed ball put two runners in scoring position, and CJ Abrams tied the game by hitting an elevated sinker up the middle. Daylen Lile’s single put the Nationals on top and ended Winn’s night.
Webb made it through eight innings for the first time this season and did it on just 99 pitches. The timing couldn’t be better; the bullpen was a bit worn down after the weekend series at Wrigley Field, and Vitello figured he would be without some of his high-leverage arms.
Webb struck out seven and scattered five hits. The only run came in the sixth, when James Woods singled with two outs, stole second, and scored on a single by Luis Garcia Jr.
Webb has allowed just two runs in three starts since coming off the IL. He lowered his ERA to 3.88.
Can’t Slow Him Down
Lee bounced a single through the right side in his second at-bat, extending his hitting streak to 16 games. It’s the longest by a Giant since Donovan Solano barreled his way to a hit in 17 consecutive games in front of the cardboard cutouts in 2020, and longest by one of their outfielders since Angel Pagan had a hit in 19 consecutive games in 2016.
The Nationals tried to change it up before his next at-bat and brought lefty reliever Mitchell Parker into the game. Lee lined his second pitch up the middle to pick up his 30th hit in the last 16 games. He got No. 31 in the eighth when he hit a slow roller in front of the plate and beat it out and then singled again in the ninth, raising his average to .333.
Making It Hurt
The game-tying rally in the bottom of the sixth certainly will lead to some second-guessing in the Nationals clubhouse. Miles Mikolas was absolutely cruising and had thrown 41 of 54 pitches for strikes, but rookie manager Blake Butera went to lefty Mitchell Parker with two outs in the sixth and the Nationals leading 1-0.
The Giants had lefties coming up, but both Lee and Eldridge singled, getting a good matchup for Matt Chapman. His 112.1 mph single to left tied the game.
The Eldridge single was particularly noteworthy. The rookie is now 6-for-14 off lefties this season — the Giants happen to face lefty starters in the final two games of this series.
Basketball bettors are in a New York state of mind for Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
The New York Knicks are home and holding a 2-0 series edge over the San Antonio Spurs, who enter what will be a madhouse inside Madison Square Garden tonight.
My Spurs vs. Knicks same-game parlay isn’t getting in the way of New York and loves these two role players – one veteran and one rookie – to blow up their scoring props in the Big Apple.
The New York Knicks have the San Antonio Spurs on their heels, proving they’re the tougher team physically and mentally. The Knicks have outworked the Spurs for almost every 50/50 ball while also showing their experience edge in crunch time. New York is making big shots late in games while San Antonio is stumbling with massive miscues, burying itself in a 0-2 hole.
We saw the New York bench put in work in Game 2, and that was a big X-factor entering the series, playing a bigger role as the finals roll on. With a healthy lift from an insane crowd at MSG, the Knicks put San Antonio on the ropes with another strong team effort on both ends in Game 3.
SGP leg #2: Dylan Harper Over 12.5 points
Rookie guard Dylan Harper is a “rookie” in title only. We’ve seen his maturation during the playoffs, and Game 2 proved he could be San Antonio’s second-best scorer. While most of the Spurs shrank in crunch time, Harper made the most of the extra minutes in the fourth quarter, attacking the rim and igniting a late surge. His size and speed are a tough blend for the Knicks defense to deal with, and models call for as many as 15+ points in Game 3.
SGP leg #3: Mikal Bridges Over 13.5 points
Mikal Bridges was huge for New York in Game 2, and his mid-range game is the perfect foil for the Spurs, who pack the paint and hope the Knicks miss outside shots. He’s getting good looks with San Antonio focusing on Jalen Brunson and has scored 14+ in five of his last six games and nine of his last 11 outings. Most models call for close to 15 points from Bridges tonight.
Get Jason Logan's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Spurs vs. Knicks predictions for Game 3.
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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 6: Brandon Marsh #16 of the Philadelphia Phillies high-fives teammates after hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Citizens Bank Park on June 6, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The White Sox defeated the Phillies 6-3. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are the lineups for game 1 in Toronto. Let’s discuss.
“Further, amid the team’s underperformance — and speculation that Breslow may be on the hot seat — the club’s ownership hierarchy has not even discussed making a change,” Healey added.
The Red Sox entered Monday in last place in the American League East standings with a 27-37 record. It has been a massively disappointing season for a club that hoped to build off an encouraging 2025 campaign.
Even so, Boston is technically in the playoff hunt, only four games back of the third AL Wild Card spot. With more than half of the season left to play, it seems the organization still has faith in Breslow to make the right moves that turn things around.
Breslow and the Red Sox are reportedly seeking a right-handed bat to add to their struggling lineup. According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, ownership has recently gotten involved in those trade discussions. That report only added to the speculation about Breslow’s job security.
For now, at least, it looks like Breslow will be the one making moves ahead of the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline. But if the Red Sox’ season continues to spiral out of control, ownership may have to reevaluate its stance on Breslow’s job security.
Midtown Manhattan was already going to be a wild scene with the NBA Finals returning to Madison Square Garden for the first time in 27 years — and with the Knicks up 2-0 on the Spurs, New Yorkers believe they are witnessing a coronation.
They are also witnessing the most intense security around an NBA game anyone can remember. What was already going to be a strong law enforcement presence around the game ramped up to a whole new level when President Donald Trump confirmed he would accept the invitation of Knicks governor James Dolan.
What does that look like? How about five blocks around the arena being shut down to all vehicular traffic, and only people with a ticket for the game can get past the security barrier.
Starting at 4pm today, vehicular and pedestrian traffic will be closed from West 30th Street to West 35th Street between 6th Avenue and 8th Avenue.
No one will be allowed inside the secure area unless you have a ticket to the game, a train ticket, are going to a business inside…
"There should be extra security for the President of the United States to be at a game, but I think the fans are very understanding of that," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said when Trump confirmed he would attend. "I think they recognize that it adds to the bigness of the event."
Inside the arena, Trump will not be on celebrity row courtside but will watch the game from a suite, NBC Sports confirmed.
"This President, Donald Trump, before he ever ran for office, he was a big Knicks fan..." Silver said at an NBA Cares event.
"I think sports, in particular, is something where we can emphasize what we have in common, not what pulls us apart, that it creates a sense of belonging. We're seeing that in New York, and I think President Trump is very much a New Yorker, and I'm thrilled that yet another New Yorker wants to participate in the enthusiasm and the joy around this Knicks team."
Knicks fans won't care much about who attends the game so long as their team wins, but those fans will also face additional security. Fans entering MSG can't take bags of any kind into the game and will have to undergo additional screening, much more like a TSA screening at the airport than at a typical NBA game.
All of this security has led to a slight decrease in the cost of buying a ticket and getting into the game on secondary markets, according to reports. Although this is still shaping up to be the most expensive game to attend in NBA history.
The question is, will those Knicks fans witness history and see their team move within a game of their first NBA championship in 53 years?
Larkin’s wish to leave the Red Wings after 11 years – and 10 consecutive years without a playoff berth – sent shockwaves through the NHL when the news emerged Thursday, June 4.
Larkin, who turns 30 on July 30, is signed through 2030-31 and currently has a full no-trade clause. The latter means Larkin is in control of where he goes. In such cases, it’s the players’ onus to submit a list of teams that fit where he wants to land.
The Free Press has learned from a person within the NHL – granted anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly – that these are the three teams on Larkin's list, in no particular order:
1. Florida Panthers
Larkin in February won the gold medal for the USA at the 2026 Milano Olympics with Panthers star forward Matthew Tkachuk. Florida does not have a state income tax, and there’s little media scrutiny. The Panthers missed the playoffs this season, but are poised to return to contender status in 2026-27 with the return of captain Aleksander Barkov, who missed all of the season with an injury. The Panthers won the Stanley Cup in 2024 and 2025.
The return would have to be phenomenal, though, for Yzerman to trade Larkin within the Atlantic Division.
2. Vegas Golden Knights
Since entering the NHL in 2017-18 on the strength of an incredible expansion draft, the Knights are in their third Stanley Cup Final in nine seasons and partied with the Cup in 2023. This is a franchise that does whatever it takes to stay competitive; just this season, it fired highly respected coach Bruce Cassidy – the guy behind the bench in 2023 – with eight games to go and brought in John Tortorella.
Last summer, the Knights pulled off a blockbuster by acquiring 100-point Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner, who wanted out of Toronto. Vegas is two wins from a second Stanley Cup, leading Carolina, 2-1, ahead of Tuesday's Game 4 in Vegas.
3. Minnesota Wild
Here, Larkin would be reunited with fellow U.S. gold medalists Quinn Hughes, Matt Boldy and Brock Faber. Wild GM Bill Guerin has shown he’s all-in on guiding the team to its first Stanley Cup championship since entering the league as an expansion team in 2000-01, pulling off the Hughes trade in December 2025. Hughes had made it clear he wouldn’t re-sign with the Vancouver Canucks, and since he was in the fifth season of a six-year deal, the Canucks decided to get value while they could.
Yzerman pursued Hughes as well, but pulled out when Hughes, who played at Michigan, would not commit to re-signing.
Larkin may be asked to expand his list if there's not a favorable deal to be worked out with one of his preferred teams. In that case, these three other teams make sense.
Other teams that make sense
New York Islanders
A star who just made history by becoming the first defenseman ever to win the Calder Trophy unanimously in Matthew Schaefer. A star goaltender in Ilya Sorokin. A star forward group that includes Mathew Barzal, a high-end playmaker and top scorer. Another star forward in Bo Horvat, a top goal-scorer and excellent on face-offs. A veteran captain in Anders Lee. This is a team on a meteoric rise after winning the draft lottery in 2025 and adding Schaefer.
The Islanders finished with 91 points (43-34-5) in 2025-26.
The Ducks (92 points) are another team on the rise, emerging from a rebuild on the guiding hands of GM Pat Verbeek, who was Yzerman's right-hand man for years in both Detroit and with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Ducks have a tremendous young core headlined by Leo Carlsson, the second overall pick in 2023, along with Cutter Gauthier (fifth overall, 2022), and Mason McTavish (third overall, 2021). They're guided by veteran coach Joel Quenneville, a three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Chicago Blackhawks.
A proven veteran center is just what this team needs after the Ducks upset the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the playoffs this year, before falling to Vegas in the second round.
Tampa Bay Lightning
The team isn't dominating like five years ago, but there's a strong, if aging, core in superstar defenseman Victor Hedman and superstar goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, and one of the NHL's most elite forwards in Nikita Kucherov. Under the guidance of longtime coach Jon Cooper, the Bolts pushed the Montreal Canadiens to a seven-game series in the first round before bowing out this spring.
The 27-year-old was sent down to Worcester after his latest rough outing for the Red Sox, in which he gave up eight earned runs over five innings in a lost to the Orioles on June 4.
“It was a really tough day,” Bello told reporters via translator. “I had a bad outing as you all know. We were getting ready to travel, and the trip right now in New York is a family trip and we were all set up to get ready to go up there. So, when I got the unfortunate news, I even shed some tears, got a little emotional because like I said before, I have so much love and passion for this game and to get that bad news was really tough. But we’re better today.”
Brayan Bello in his last outing against the Orioles Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Bello, in the midst of a six-year, $55 million deal signed before 2024, put together a 2-6 record record with a 6.34 ERA — the worst mark of his career — and a 1.67 WHIP.
The Dominican Hurler seemed to be turning the corner before the disaster outing against Baltmore. He was sent to the bullpen, operating as a long reliever following an opener, allowing just two earned runs in 25 1/3 innings (0.74 ERA) in the role.
Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow told reporter he’d asked Bell to “fall in love with baseball” again.
Brayan Bello said he “shed some tears” after receiving news of his demotion to Triple-A Worcester. pic.twitter.com/atzawHAn0t
The hope is, a start with the Woo Sox on Thursday can help set a key rotation arm back on track.
In Bello’s place, the Red Sox have called up left-handed reliever Joe La Sorsa.
But that call-up could be temporary, as the Red Sox now have a vacant starting-rotation spot. Pitching prospect Jake Bennett is the leading candidate to take Bello’s spot. Bello was slated to make his next start on Tuesday, meaning the Red Sox might make their decision then.
Bello facing the Atlanta Braves Getty Images
The Red Sox need some help anyway they can get it. They sit dead last in the AL East, having a record of 27-36 entering Monday’s slate.
The Red Sox have struggled in the pitching department after ace Garrett Crochet went on the 15-day IL on April 29; a setback during a live throwing session saw him go onto the 60-day IL.
Toronto Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock reacts as his team plays the Vegas Golden Knights during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019, in Toronto.
The Oilers are consulting with the NHL Players’ Association to see if they can potentially hire Mike Babcock as head coach without objection, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger.
The Oilers fired Kris Knoblauch in May after being eliminated by Anaheim in the first round of the playoffs.
The rumblings come after the 63-year-old Babcock resigned as bench boss of the Blue Jackets in 2023 before coaching a single game for them due to allegations of invading players’ privacy, asking them to share photos from their mobile devices.
The NHLPA investigated the situation before the Stanley Cup-winning coach resigned.
Then-Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen called the hiring of Babcock “a mistake” in a statement following the coach’s resignation. Columbus captain Boone Jenner came forward then, saying the images Babcock asked for were of his family for relationship-building, and he was “happy to share.”
Toronto Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock reacts as his team plays the Vegas Golden Knights during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019, in Toronto. AP
There have been other instances where Babcock was accused of mistreating players and staff. Several of his former players have come forward, sharing their experiences of being embarrassed or otherwise mistreated by Babcock.
One of the more high-profile incidents was in Toronto in the 2016-17 season, when then-rookie Mitch Marner was told to rank his teammates based on work ethic, a list that Babcock then shared with the rest of the team. Marner’s teammates had his back and directed their anger at the “list incident” toward Babcock.
In the past, Babcock was viewed as one of the top coaches in the league. He led the Ducks to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2003.
He won the Cup with the Red Wings in 2008 and did not miss the playoffs in his 10-year run with Detroit. He signed an eight-year deal to be the head coach in Toronto before the 2015-16 season, and was fired in late 2019. He led Team Canada to two Olympic gold medals in 2010 and ’14.
Mike Babcock addresses the media as the Columbus Blue Jackets introduce Babcock as their new head coach during a news conference on Saturday, July 1, 2023 AP
Last month, Babcock shut down rumors about his return to coaching. Dreger asked Babcock directly about the rumors circulating around him and the Oilers, and Babcock said, “Dregs, I’m retired. Loving it.”
It remains to be seen whether the Oilers will be able to move forward with Babcock. Further investigation might be required, according to Dreger, before Babcock can make his return to coaching in the NHL.
With the Montreal Canadiens being in desperate need of another top-six center, they have naturally been viewed as one of the potential suitors for Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin. The star center notably has requested a trade from the Red Wings and is expected to be moved.
However, Larkin's trade list has now been revealed, and the Canadiens are not on it. With Larkin having a full no-trade clause, this is undoubtedly a tough blow for the Habs.
With the Canadiens needing an upgrade at their second-line center spot, Larkin would have had the potential to be an excellent addition to their roster. This is because he is not only a proven top-six center but is also locked up until the end of the 2030-31 season. With this, he would have provided the Canadiens with a long-term answer for their top six.
However, as it stands now, the likelihood of the Canadiens landing Larkin this off-season is incredibly low.
BALTIMORE- The Baltimore Orioles, already struggling in their quest to reach the .500 mark, placed starting pitcher Chris Bassitt on the 15-day injured list with a back injury Monday, June 8, as he and the club continue seeking answers for his malady.Bassitt, 37, visited a back specialist in Baltimore while the team was in Toronto last weekend before rejoining the club. He refused comment before the team’s Monday night game against the Seattle Mariners at Camden Yards.Rookie Trey Gibson was summoned to make Bassitt’s start Monday, with some doubt about the veteran’s return date."He’s looking at his options and kind of seeing what his best course of action is," Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said Monday.
Bassitt was signed to a one-year, $18.5 million contract in March, is 4-4 with a 5.27 ERA in 12 games, including 10 starts and two outings as the “bulk pitcher.”
After posting a 6.75 ERA in his first five starts, he has pitched better of late, including two six-inning, one-run outings.
